Anti-stalking Law Works, Will Survive, Sponsor Says

Despite legal challenges, the state's 15-month-old anti-stalking law has been a valuable tool in fighting domestic abuse, the bill's sponsor said on Wenesday.

"It is the toughest law in the nation," said state Rep. Carol Hanson, who sponsored the law and helped guide it through the legislature last year.

Hanson spoke to a meeting of the National Organization of Women's South Palm Beach County chapter. She took part of a panel discussion on the anti-stalking law. About 30 people attended.

Some judges have ruled that the law, which prohibits activities like following, harrassing and threatening others, is too vague. Since the law went into effect in July 1992, it has resulted in about 1,000 arrests statewide. But it has also been challenged in court a number of times. The law carries a maximum five-year prison sentence.

Hanson said she is confident the law will hold up under appeal.

Another member of the panel, Capt. Bill Tremor of the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office, said that before the law went into effect, officers often were unable to deal with stalking situations.

"We have wrung our hands in sympathy with the victims and been almost as frustrated as the victims over the years," Tremor said. "Up until this law, we really didn't know what to do to help them. In the past, we were left with telling victims things like, `Change your telephone number, or maybe you should change your address.''' Hanson said it was important for women who were being stalked to document the harassment. "Document. Document. Document," Hanson said. "For some reason, these people love to send mail. They love to leave their voice on your telephone recorders. They love to send gifts."

Tremor said that stalking often starts out with behavior that's considered inconvenient, like repeated phone calls.

"These people, if they start showing this behavior, there's a good possibility they won't change," Tremor said. "It will probably escalate."